Revolution Update: March 28, 2011

Foxborough, Mass. – The New England Revolution will look to remain undefeated on the new season when the team welcomes league newcomer Portland Timbers to Gillette Stadium this Saturday. Coming off a 2-1 win against D.C. United last Saturday in the team’s home opener, the Revs are now tied for second in the Eastern Conference with a 1-0-1 record and four points.

The Revolution will train four days this week ahead of Saturday’s match, with all four sessions scheduled to take place on the Gillette Stadium field.

SERIES INFORMATION VS. PORTLAND

Portland Timbers Facts And Figures

Portland joined Major League Soccer for 2011 as an expansion team alongside regional rival Vancouver, bringing the number of teams in MLS to 18.

Portland’s head coach is John Spencer, who was an assistant coach for the Houston Dynamo from 2006-2010, helping the Dynamo to back-to-back MLS Cup championships (2006 & 2007).

The Timbers have a long history Portland, Ore., competing in the NASL and USL First Division since the 1970s prior to joining MLS.

The team is owned by Merritt Paulson, the majority owner of Shortstop, LLC ... the group also owns the Portland Beavers, a minor-league baseball team.

Portland played its first-ever MLS game on March 19, 2011, with the defending league champion Colorado Rapids taking a 3-1 win at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

New England Vs. Portland Series Information

Saturday night’s match will be the first-ever meeting between the New England Revolution and Portland Timbers.

This will be the first of two regular-season meetings between New England and Portland this season ... the Timbers will host the Revolution at JELD-WEN Field for the first time on Friday, Sept. 16, to conclude the season series.

The Revs are 9-8-4 all-time against expansion teams in their inaugural seasons ... that record includes two draws with the Houston Dynamo, which was considered an expansion team after relocating from San Jose in 2006.

Since 2005, New England is 8-3-4 against expansion teams in their inaugural seasons ... the Revs went 1-5-0 against the Chicago Fire and Miami Fusion in 1998, just two years after MLS’ inaugural season.

Since 2000, the Revs are undefeated – 5-0-2 – in their first meeting against expansion or relocated teams.

Player Notes Vs. Expansion TeamsMatt Reis is 8-2-4 in his Revolution career against expansion teams, posting an 0.65 goals against average and six shutouts.
Serbian teammates Marko Perovic and Ilija Stolica each scored goals in their first MLS appearances against an expansion club, as both scored against Philadelphia in 2010.
Perovic scored an unassisted game-tying goal on a free kick in a 1-1 draw on July 31, in Chester, Pa.
Stolica had the game’s first goal in a 2-1 loss to the Union on Aug. 28 at Gillette Stadium.
Kheli Dube scored his first MLS goal in a 2-0 win against San Jose on May 17, 2008, in the team’s first season after returning from a two-year hiatus.

New England - Portland ConnectionsTimbers defender Kevin Goldthwaite and Revolution defender (and Portland native) Ryan Cochrane were teammates on the Houston Dynamo in 2006, winning MLS Cup together.
Portland goalkeeper Adin Brown was the Revs’ starting goalkeeper from 2002 into 2004, making 83 appearances and posting a 1.73 goals against average with 15 shutouts while also backstopping the team to an appearance in MLS Cup 2002.
Timbers midfielder Peter Lowry and New England rookie midfielder Stephen McCarthy were teammates during two NCAA Tournament seasons at Santa Clara, appearing in the lineup together in 43 games during 2006 and 2007.
Timbers head coach John Spencer was one of Steve Nicol’s assistant coaches at the 2007 MLS All-Star Game, when the league all-stars defeated Scotland’s Celtic FC, 2-0.

TEAM NOTES

Rarely Undefeated Through TwoThe Revolution enters Saturday’s game undefeated through the team’s first two games … this marks just the fourth time in team history that the Revs have been undefeated after the first two games, matching 2009 (2-0-2 through four games), 2006 (1-0-1 after two games) and 2005 (7-0-4 through 11 games – the team’s best-ever start to a season).

New Kids Coming To TownSaturday’s game marks the first of four matches this season against expansion clubs … the Timbers – and Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Wednesday’s away opponent – came into MLS this past off-season and are both in their first season of play.

Great First ImpressionsSince 2005, the Revolution is 5-0-2 in the team’s first meeting with an expansion team … last season’s draw at Philadelphia (1-1) and the 2006 draw against Houston (3-3) are the two ties in the seven total first-ever meetings against expansion teams in the most recent wave of expansion … this will also be the first season since 2005 that the Revs will play two expansion teams in the same season.

OPPONENT

RESULT

SCORE

DATE

Chivas USA

W

1-0

April 25, 2005

Real Salt Lake

W

4-1

Aug. 10, 2005

Houston

T

1-1

May 26, 2006

Toronto

W

4-0

April 14, 2007

San Jose

W

2-0

May 17, 2008

Seattle

W

1-0

Aug. 20, 2009

Philadelphia

T

1-1

July 31, 2010

Joseph Starting Strong
Shalrie Joseph has scored two goals in the first two games of the 2011 season, marking the earliest ever that Joseph has reached that mark … in 2009, when he scored a career-high eight goals, Joseph did not record his second goal until the seventh game of the season.

Joseph Claims His “Spot”With his successful penalty kick on Saturday against D.C. United, Shalrie Joseph moved into a first-place tie – with Steve Ralston (2002-10) – on the club’s career penalty kick converted chart … Joseph has been one of the team’s primary PK takers since 2005 … Joseph has converted his last three penalty kick attempts.

Schilawski Strikes AgainSecond-year forward Zack Schilawski, playing as the team’s lone forward the last two games, scored his sixth career goal on Saturday night and snapped a 10-month scoreless streak … Schilawski scored five goals as a rookie in 2010, including three in the team’s home opener against Toronto FC on April 10 … he later added goals on May 1 against Dallas and May 29 against New York, but went scoreless in league action until Saturday night’s effort against D.C.

Matt Is Mr. March …
With his win on Saturday against D.C., Matt Reis remained undefeated in the month of March in his career, moving to 4-0-1 in five games … in those five March matches, he has posted an 0.60 goals against average and two shutouts ... Reis has played at least 20 games in every other month of the season, with April being his second best month.

… And Amazing In April, TooIn addition to his proclivity in March, Matt Reis has also historically posted solid results in the month of April, as well … in 25 appearances in April, Reis has posted a 13-5-6 record with an 0.99 goals against average and nine shutouts.

Defensive DebutsIn Saturday’s game, three different defenders made their season, Revolution and/or MLS debuts … Kevin Alston, who missed the season opener at LA on March 20 while continuing to rehab his left hamstring strain, started and played 90 minutes at right back – his first action of the new season … Didier Domi, who also missed the LA match with swelling in his right knee, made his MLS debut, starting and playing a full 90 minutes at left back after signing with the Revs in the off-season … Ryan Cochrane, who joined the Revs through the Re-Entry Process in December, also made his New England debut, coming on in the 48th minute at center back for Franco Coria who went off with a left hamstring injury.

Reserves ResultsThe Revolution reserves (0-1-0, 0 pts.) made their 2011 debut on Saturday evening, facing the D.C. reserves following the first-teams’ match … D.C. defeated New England, 4-1, with Ilija Stolica scoring the Revs’ lone goal … Chris Tierney played a cross from the right to Stolica, who slotted it home past United keeper Bill Hamid … the match also saw the senior team debut of Home Grown player Diego Fagundez, who had previously spent all winter and spring with the Revs’ youth teams after signing with the senior team in November … additionally, Under-16 defender Mitch Taintor, Under-16 forward Yannick Kabala and Under-18 midfielder Dominik Machado also saw time with the reserves on Saturday.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Youth Teams Game RecapAfter three consecutive weekends at home, the Revolution Under-18 and Under-16 teams traveled to New York during the weekend for a pair of games in Maspeth and Brooklyn … the U18s defeated Met Oval, 5-2, on Saturday, March 26, before drawing Cosmos Academy East, 3-3, on Sunday … the U16s came out of the weekend winless after battling Met Oval to a 2-2 draw, and suffering a 3-0 loss to Cosmos Academy East on Sunday.

Youths Called Up For Reserve League ActionThe Revolution called up five players from the U18 and U16 squads for the team’s reserve league match against D.C. United on Saturday evening … Mitch Taintor started and played 90 minutes at center back, while Yannick Kabala and Dominik Machado made substitute appearances in the second half … Home Grown player Diego Fagundez also entered the game in the 24th minute and played the rest of the match, marking his first-ever experience with the senior team.

On The Road AgainThe Revs youth teams will train Wednesday and Thursday, 5-7 p.m., on the Gillette Stadium field before hitting the road again this weekend … on Saturday, April 2, the U18s and U16s will meet Players Development Academy in Zarephath, N.J., before heading to Newark on Sunday, April 3, for games against the New York Red Bulls.